Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time
When the COVID-19 pandemic took over the world, we all switched to living our lives online. And during this switch, Canon introduced its EOS Webcam Utility Software – a free tool that lets you use your Canon camera as a webcam.
Two years later, the free software gets some new features in the Canon EOS Webcam Utility Pro. But there’s a catch – if you want to use them, you’re going to have to pay.
When the pandemic began, everyone started offering software that turns your DLSR, mirrorless, or phone into a webcam. Apple has joined the 2-year-old trend and it will soon finally enable you to use your iPhone as a webcam. What do you mean, “improve the native Mac camera?” Nah, you can attach your phone to it for your Zoom meetings.
The Olympus OM-D Webcam Beta software that mysteriously stopped working on January 1st, just as the company completed transitioning its imaging business over to Japan Industrial Partners, has now returned with a new version, hosted on the Olympus Imaging website.
A reader on 43Rumors says that it’s the same download link as before, although the version’s been bumped up to v1.0.11 and has confirmed that it works with his E-M1 Mark II. As to whether or not there are any changes other than perhaps setting a new expiry date is unknown.
This is a strange one. Apparently, the Olympus OM-D Webcam Beta software that Olympus released to allow you to use your Olympus OM-D mirrorless camera as a USB webcam has ceased to function. As of January 1st, 2021, it just quit working without warning. And, sure, you can change your computer’s clock to trick it, but then that can potentially cause other issues if you want to actually use it.
Olympus has acknowledged the issue and says that their R&D team have identified the problem, with a new and fixed version of the software on the way “as soon as possible”. With the transition of “OM-D” from Olympus to Japan Industrial Partners (JIP), though, who knows how long this may take. And who even owns the rights to the software anymore?
Camera manufacturers like Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Sony, and Fuji have launched their webcam software this year. However, they may not support your camera model, so you’ll need to find another solution. Duncan Dimanche has one that is simple, cheap, works for most camera models, and on both Windows and Mac.
Sony has now released the Mac version of its Imaging Edge Webcam software, which allows you to use thirty six of Sony’s A & E mount interchangeable lens cameras and fixed lens cameras as webcams on your computer.
Sony first released the software back in August, but it was only available for Windows at that time. The list of compatible cameras hasn’t changed since the initial Windows release, but offers benefits for both newer as well as older (you hear that, Panasonic?) cameras.
Back in July, GoPro launched a firmware update that lets you use your action camera as a wide-angle webcam. Unlike other manufacturers, GoPro launched the Mac version first – but from now on, Windows users can use their GoPro as a web camera, too.
Nearly two months ago, Olympus introduced software for windows that turns certain Olympus OM-D cameras into a webcam. Apple users among you may have been wondering “what about us?” But today, we have a news for you – Olympus has now launched OM-D Webcam Beta software for Apple.
Well, it was a matter of time. After announcing that you’ll be able to use the ZV-1 as a webcam, Sony has now officially launched the software. And even better, they expanded it to 34 other camera models. The Imaging Edge software is now out, and it lets you turn your Sony camera into a fancy USB webcam.
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